The O.C. was an immensely popular teen drama, so why was the series cancelled after season 4? The series created by Josh Schwartz (Marvel's Runaways) debuted in August 2003 and ran until February 2007. Besides focusing on the lives of teenagers living in Orange County, California, the series was known for its stellar soundtrack full of up-and-coming bands.
Over the course of the four seasons, The O.C. aired a total of 92 episodes. When The O.C. began, it centered on a troubled teen, Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie), who had very few options at finding a stable home life. Ryan was then adopted by Sandy (Peter Gallagher) and Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan), a wealthy couple who had a teenage son of their own, Seth (Adam Brody). Ryan had a few issues adapting to the new lifestyle but as time went on, he found friends that he could trust. Ryan, Seth, Marissa (Mischa Barton), and Summer (Rachel Bilson) were the central characters of the series as they tackled the final years of high school.
The O.C. turned the central actors into superstars in the mid-2000s. The series was also well-received by viewers for the topics it focused on such as social class, drug addiction, anxiety, homophobia, and grief, among many others. After a tumultuous third season, The O.C. seemed to get back on track with season 4. Despite the hope for the future of the show, Fox announced in January 2007 that the current season would be the last.
The main reason behind The O.C.'s cancellation was the low ratings. The debut season of The O.C. did very well for Fox, averaging around 9.7 million viewers per episode. The numbers held steady even though the timeslot was switched from Tuesday to Wednesday. Season 2 featured another timeslot change, this time to Thursday nights, going up against popular series such as Survivor and Will & Grace. Viewership continued to dip so Fox moved The O.C. back an hour but that didn't help as it went against Grey's Anatomy and CSI, two more powerhouse dramas.
In The O.C.'s season 3 finale, Marissa was killed, ending Barton's time on the series. This turned away a lot of loyal viewers who felt that the storyline was too dramatic. It was clear that Fox was already losing hope in the series considering they ordered a shortened season 4. Schwartz was able to take a step back and get back to the more comedic elements that made the early seasons well-received. By that point, even the cast knew the end was near.
Even though The O.C. was cancelled, Fox allowed Schwartz to carry out the previously ordered episodes as he wanted. He had the creative freedom to end the series without the pressure of worrying about the show's fate. There were last-ditch efforts from viewers to save The O.C. with a petition that nearly reached 750,000 signatures. The CW also briefly considered taking on the series as part of their programming slate but they ultimately decided against the idea.